MOTORISTS faced a nightmare journey to work on Thursday morning following a fatal crash on the M20.

Police were forced to close the London-bound carriageway between junction 1, near Swanley, and junction 3, Trottiscliffe, to allow emergency services to clear the wreckage of the smash. Fire crews from Swanley and Larkfield attended.

The accident happened just before junction one at 5.30am and involved a French-registered articulated lorry and a white van.

The man driving the Sprinter van was taken to Queen Mary's Hospital at Sidcup but he later died from his injuries.

A male passenger was trapped in the van and had to be freed by firefighters before being taken to Queen Mary's Hospital with injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening.

The driver of the lorry was not hurt.

The section of the road was closed London-bound this morning and traffic was diverted via the M25 and M26.

The collision caused serious congestion stretching back to junction 6 of the M20, and roads throughout the area became congested as traffic diverted away from the motorway.

The M20 has been re-opened up to junction 1, but the main carriageway remains closed from junction 1 so traffic can't carry on to the A20.

All traffic is diverting off at the junction where the slip road is down to one lane. Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.

The causes of the collision are being investigated.